


I waited a long time, I believe you have too.

by KlavierRPF (KlavierWrites)



Series: (oh my god, they were roommates) [2]
Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Coming Out, Companion Piece, Domesticity, M/M, Pining, “And they were roommates” THE SEQUEL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23894089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KlavierWrites/pseuds/KlavierRPF
Summary: Younghyun has liked Sungjin for a really, really long time.
Relationships: Kang Younghyun | Young K/Park Sungjin, Kim Wonpil/Park Jaehyung | Jae
Series: (oh my god, they were roommates) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1722160
Comments: 33
Kudos: 226





	I waited a long time, I believe you have too.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place parallel to the events of my other Day6 fic, "Is it me who's running (or is it my heart?)" I suggest you read that first! 
> 
> Title is from the English lyrics to Time of Our Life. Could probs do with another re-reading for SPAG, but I'll do it later. I'm impatient to post. 
> 
> Oh, and I'm spreading the Jae and Younghyun bff agenda in this fic. Their friendship is very important to me.

“I had the weirdest conversation with Jae-hyung today,” says Younghyun.

It’s a Tuesday night, and he and Sungjin are sitting on opposite sides of the couch eating homemade ramyeon. Under normal circumstances, they probably wouldn’t be eating together like this on a weekday, but Younghyun had cooked specifically because he knew Sungjin would always take the opportunity for homecooked food. And that meant eating together, which meant an opportunity to talk. 

“Isn’t that every conversation with Jae?” asks Sungjin dryly.

“Well, yeah,” says Younghyun, “but this one was weird in a different way. He’s having a bit of a crisis.”

Sungjin, for all his posturing, really does care about their mutual friend, so Younghyun’s not surprised to see his eyebrows knit together in concern.

“Is everything ok?” he says, “his family?”

“Yeah, everyone’s fine,” says Younghyun, “he’s just going through some emotional stuff at the moment, I think. Figuring some things out. He asked me if he was homophobic.”

“What did you tell him?” asks Sungjin. He’s got this carefully neutral look on his face, which is understandable given the subject.

“That I didn’t think he was.”

“That’s not what I would have said,” says Sungjin.

Younghyun sighs. While he’s genuinely and completely forgiven Jae for being a bit useless when he came out, Sungjin appears to be holding Younghyun’s grudge for him. “Well other than that one blip, he’s been perfectly supportive.”

“Blip,” Sungjin repeats, shaking his head, “honestly, Kang Bra, you’re too forgiving.”

The thing is, Sungjin’s got a pretty good reason to be mad. Younghyun loves Jae like a brother; has considered him his closest friend since they were teenagers, and voluntarily made him his business partner on top of it. But when Younghyun had come out, once Jae and Wonpil had gone back to their apartment and Sungjin and Younghyun were left at theirs, Younghyun had cried. It had been catharsis, mainly, relief from the stress of holding a secret for so long. But he’d also been disappointed and panicked at Jae’s reaction. At how little Jae had said, how tense his smile had been. And Sungjin had been there to see him cry.

When he’d next seen Jae, it was like a switch had been flipped. He patted Younghyun on the back, said he was proud of him, and apologised for being quiet the day before. “I was just processing,” had been his words. Younghyun had forgiven him on the spot. Sungjin had not.

“He’s trying,” says Younghyun now, “I know he is. That’s what he wanted to talk to me about. He found out about Wonpil.”

“I thought Wonpil specifically didn’t want to tell him,” says Sungjin. 

Younghyun grimaces, “he didn’t,” he says, and then recounts Jae’s story about walking in on Wonpil’s one-night stand and connecting the dots, and about his big panic seeing the two of them together.

By the time he’s finished, Sungjin’s put his empty bowl down on the coffee table. “And you’re telling me you don’t think he’s working through some homophobia, still?”

“Well, he might be,” says Younghyun pensively. The thing is, he has a theory about Jae and Wonpil, but he doesn’t really think it’s worth sharing with Sungjin when he’s got no evidence.

Sungjin settles into the sofa and flings his arm over the back of it. “You want me to talk to him?”

“Could you?” says Younghyun, leaning forward to put down his own bowl, “he might be less cagey if he’s talking to a fellow straight person.”

Sungjin laughs, tipping his head back. The combination of his exposed neck, v neck t-shirt, and the way he’s lounging back on the couch is devastating. “Glad my perpetual in-the-closet-ness can come in handy,” he says.

Younghyun beams at him, wishing he could shuffle up and insert himself into space right next to Sungjin on the sofa, rest his head against the arm lying along the back. But he doesn’t, because Sungjin has the most well-defended personal bubble of anyone he’s ever met, and Younghyun is never the one to initiate breaching it. 

It’s Thursday, and Younghyun picks up on the second ring. “How was it?” he says, not bothering with a hello.

“He just left, he’ll be with you in ten, my guess,” says Sungjin, his voice a little distorted by the shit signal they get in the shop. “Couldn’t you have given me some warning?”

Younghyun cackles. He’d been right to suggest Sungjin talk to Jae himself. “It’s tragic, isn’t it?”

“Well at least we know it’s not homophobia making him act like that,” says Sungjin, “Why didn’t you tell me he was panicking because he was jealous?”

“Didn’t think you’d believe me,” says Younghyun, lounging back in his seat behind the till, keeping an eye on the door for Jae’s return. It’s a quiet day at the shop, there’s only one customer in the store – a guy trying out a bass in the corner – so Younghyun doesn’t feel bad being on the phone.

“Jesus, Kang Bra, it’s pitiful. He’s completely gone on him and has no idea.”

“I know. And to think, there’s Wonpil still half-convinced Jae doesn’t like him.”

“To be fair,” says Sungjin, “he’s shit at showing it.”

Younghyun laughs again, leaning back in his chair. “Talk about it tonight? I’ll cook.”

“Yeah, sure,” says Sungjin, “I gotta get back to work.”

“Cool,” says Younghyun, and then, because he’s feeling daring, “love ya.”

“Uh, yeah,” says Sungjin gruffly, “bye.”

“Say it back.”

“Fuck off,” says Sungjin, but he doesn’t hang up and after a pause he says, “You’re my favourite of our mutual friends.”

“Aww,” says Younghyun, “cute! I’ll see you tonight.”

“Bye,” says Sungjin, and hangs up.

Younghyun’s cheeks hurt from smiling. The guy with the bass says, “you’re making me feel really single, dude.”

Younghyun’s smile dims. Yeah, he’s making himself feel really single, too.

Younghyun dares to sit a little closer to Sungjin on the couch that night, playing it off as being because he needs access to the coffee table to put down his drink. He doesn’t know if Sungjin sees through it, but he doesn’t say anything. It’s not like they’re even really touching, their thighs barely brushing as they reach across each other for seasoning, but Younghyun’s whole body feels aflame anyway.

“…and then I asked him how he’d feel if I was the one dating a guy,” says Sungjin, recounting his lunch with Jae that day.

Younghyun almost chokes on a piece of meat. “That was bold,” he says.

Sungjin colours. “He didn’t read into it; he just took it as a hypothetical.”

“Still,” says Younghyun, “that’s the closest you’ve got to coming out to anyone deliberately.”

Sungjin looks down at his food, shrugging. Younghyun stares at him. “Wait,” he says, “that’s your evasive look. Who did you tell?”

“My mom,” says Sungjin, “last week.”

Straight up, Younghyun drops his chopsticks. He scrabbles to pick them up, knowing full well Sungjin only lets them eat on the couch on the understanding that the food or its residue doesn’t get anywhere near the upholstery. Still, he thinks his reaction is justified.

You see, Sungjin doesn’t tell people he’s gay. He never has done. Younghyun only knows on a technicality, he’d figured it out about a year ago when he’d been describing this hookup with a guy and Sungjin had gone bright red, despite listening to his stories about hooking up with women without any kind of response. Curious, and wanting to make a joke out of it, Younghyun had pushed him into explaining why it made him blush so much. After all, a flustered Sungjin was a rare (and honestly super appealing) sight.

Eventually, Sungjin had muttered, “well your stories about women don’t exactly do anything for me…” and Younghyun, realising the implication, had been equal parts delighted and apologetic to have pulled the confession out of him.

Younghyun had asked him if he was into guys, and Sungjin had gruffly said something about how he wasn’t normally into anyone, but there had been one or two men he’d liked in the past, never women. It wasn’t something he talked about. And from then on, it had been an open secret between them. Sungjin liked men, he’d never dated one, he didn’t tell people about it. Younghyun would take his secret to the grave.

“Hyung, this is huge,” says Younghyun, back in the present, chopsticks safely back in his hand.

“I suppose,” says Sungjin.

“What inspired you?”

Sungjin looks shifty, and Younghyun immediately feels guilty for pushing again.

“I mean, you don’t have to tell me, that was presumptuous.”

If it had been any other of their friends, they probably would have said ‘no, it’s fine’ and explained themselves, but Sungjin just nods. “Thanks,” he says.

Younghyun is practically vibrating in his seat. “This is so cool,” he says, “I’m out, Wonpil’s out, you’re more out than you were before, and Jae’s…”

“…whatever Jae is,” finishes Sungjin, nodding. “But Younghyun, I’m still not about to come out properly, you know that right? It’s still not anyone’s business but my own.”

Younghyun claps him on the back. “I know that, hyung,” he says. He bites his lip, considering. Sungjin is a private person, he doesn’t want him to take his next question the wrong way. But it’s killing him, and he just has to ask. “So, uh. Is there anything that would make you come out? To Wonpil and Jae, I mean.”

Sungjin puts down his food and levels Younghyun with a look so full of meaning Younghyun tries not to squirm. “Yes,” he says simply. “If I start dating someone.”

Younghyun is a masochist, he really is, because he asks, “Is there someone you’re interested in?”

“Yeah,” says Sungjin, and Younghyun’s heart breaks a little bit. He’d been banking on a no. “I’ve liked him for a really long time. I keep thinking it’ll go somewhere between us but he’s the more confident of the two of us and he hasn’t said anything. I don’t know if he’s interested.”

“Does he know you’re gay?”

“Yes,” says Sungjin.

“Oh,” says Younghyun, “well you haven’t told a lot of people, so he must be special.”

“He is.”

Younghyun makes a mental note to stop finding Jae’s situation with Wonpil so funny, because he suddenly has a hell of a lot more sympathy.

Dowoon seems nice. In fact, Dowoon seems really nice. He’s cute, and a little gruff, and appears at first to be more of a listener than a talker, but then he gets on a tangent and he’s away. If he wasn’t dating Younghyun’s good friend, and Younghyun wasn’t so hung up on Sungjin, he’d probably have a bit of a crush on him.

It’s honestly refreshing, hanging out with someone new. Younghyun loves his friends but he’s more than happy to see the group expanded, and he can definitely picture Dowoon settling into their little Saturday evening group. He just has to be ok with movie nights, because that’s more their usual speed than trips out drinking like this one.

Well. There is one other glaring problem with inviting the man Wonpil is currently seeing into their circle of friends. One blond, bespectacled problem currently glaring into the bottom of his glass like it called him a particularly nasty word. Jae has been, to put it mildly, absolutely foul all evening.

It started off only marginally bad, but the more Jae drinks the fouler he gets, and eventually it isn’t just he and Sungjin who notice. Dowoon looks more and more confused by Jae’s attitude, and Wonpil’s expression gets more and more kicked-puppy as the night goes on. It hurts to see, because Wonpil really doesn’t need any more fuel for his belief that Jae secretly doesn’t like him very much.

By the time the evening draws to a close, and Jae finishes it off with grand finale of rudeness to poor Dowoon by refusing the kid’s handshake, Younghyun is feeling more than little pissed off with his best friend.

He gets it. Jae’s jealous, and he doesn’t know how to handle it. But he likes to think that when Sungjin starts dating, he’ll be able to handle it with a little more decorum. Well, at least he hopes so. Younghyun shoots a glance at his roommate, who’s looking at Jae and Wonpil’s retreating forms with a stormy expression.

“Sorry about that,” says Younghyun, once Wonpil and Jae are out of the door.

“He doesn’t like me very much, does he? Jae-ssi I mean.” Dowoon doesn’t look that upset, just curious.

Younghyun bites his lip, wondering how much he should let slip to Wonpil’s boyfriend. But if he was the one dating Wonpil, he’d probably want a little warning about the complicated relationship between Wonpil and his roommate. “I wouldn’t take it personally,” he settles for saying, “Jae’s going through some stuff.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” says Dowoon, “but it almost seems like he’s jealous.”

Sungjin laughs. “Willing to bet on it,” he says, nudging Younghyun’s shoulder with his own.

Tired and a loose from the alcohol, Younghyun lets himself lean back against Sungjin, only half-supporting his own weight. “That was exhausting,” he says, “trying to manage Jae is exhausting. Take me home?”

To his surprise, Sungjin doesn’t shrug him off. He just smiles and places a flat palm on Younghyun’s back to steady him. “Sure,” he says, “need a lift, Dowoon-ssi?”

“That would be great, thanks,” says Dowoon, looking between the two of them with wide eyes.

“Are you ok with the back seat?” asks Younghyun as Sungjin unlocks the car.

“Of course,” says Dowoon. “Thank you, Sungjin-ssi, it’s kind of you to make two stops.”

“What do you mean two stops?” asks Younghyun, pulling open the door and sliding into the passenger seat, “we live together.”

He glances behind him to see Dowoon nodding solemnly in the back seat. “I see. I’m glad Wonpil-hyung has friends like you,” he says, “he needs more LGBT friends, I was worried I was the only one.”

Younghyun coos. “Sungjin-hyung, he’s cute. Can we keep him?”

“I think that’s up to Wonpil,” says Sungjin, his eyes on the rear-view mirror as he reverses them out of their parking space.

Younghyun feels like a parent grilling his son’s prom date. “How long have you been dating Wonpil, Dowoon?”

“Oh, it’s not like that,” says Dowoon, “we’re just friends, we only hooked up because it was convenient. I don’t like him like that.”

“ _Really?”_ says Younghyun, shooting a conspiratorial glance at Sungjin who doesn’t see it because he’s driving. “Well, isn’t that good to know?”

“Because of Jae-ssi?” Dowoon guesses.

“Because of Jae-ssi,” Younghyun agrees, “poor guy.”

They drop Dowoon off with another apology for Jae’s behaviour and with Younghyun’s number on his phone because “we’re friends now!”.

“Well, isn’t he adorable?” says Younghyun when it’s just the two of them in the car. Sungjin hums. “Wonpil knows how to pick them. He’s kind of like you, hyung. A little bit gruff but soft around the edges, from Busan, gay – but he’s more out about it, of course.”

Younghyun notices Sungjin’s grip on the wheel tighten, and wonders if he’s overstepped somehow. But Sungjin’s next comment is a complete non-sequitur. “Not like you to give out your number, Kang Bra.”

“Oh, shut up,” says Younghyun good naturedly, “he’s a good kid. I want him to hang around, and once Jae gets his head out of his ass he’ll be a good addition to the group.”

“And that’s the only reason?” asks Sungjin.

“Well, yeah,” says Younghyun, “why, did you think I liked him?”

Sungjin doesn’t say anything, but he glances away from the road to look at him for a second. Younghyun takes it as confirmation and wrinkles his nose. “Nah,” he says, “If I was to date a guy from Busan, it wouldn’t be him.”

It’s a risk, but he thinks Sungjin misses the insinuation. He doesn’t say anything for the rest of the drive, at least.

Younghyun didn’t drink anywhere near enough to wake up with a hangover, but he did drink enough to wake up the following morning with his mouth tasting like something had died in it, so his first stop on waking up is to stumble into the kitchen for a bottle of water.

He halts in the entrance, though, slightly confused. Sungjin, who historically keeps to himself in the mornings, is already up and dressed and tidying their already near-spotless kitchen.

“Everything alright, hyung?” he says, his voice scratchy with sleep.

Sungjin jumps about a foot in their air and turns to look at him. “Younghyunie,” he says, “I didn’t know you were up.”

Younghyun has to try very, very hard not to stare. Sungjin’s in a hoodie and jeans – classic Sunday clothes – and his hair is floppy and still a little damp from the shower, the separated strands sticking to his forehead. It’s an indecently good look, and Younghyun hasn’t been awake long enough to school his expression into casual disinterest quick enough. Sungjin sees him staring.

“I’m up as of like ten seconds ago,” says Younghyun, “mind if I grab some water?”

Sungjin steps away from the fridge and arranges his hands in an “after you” gesture. Younghyun grabs a bottle, the back of his neck prickling. He has no idea what feels so different about this morning, only something does.

He leaves the kitchen quickly, uncapping his water and gulping it down. When he goes back to make himself a late breakfast, showered and ready to face the day, Sungjin is still cleaning. Or rather, he’s reorganising their already meticulously organised spices. Something is up.

“Dude,” says Younghyun, “seriously. Everything ok?”

Sungjin takes a deep breath, putting down the spice bottle in his hand and turning to face him. “Actually, Younghyun, can we talk about what you said last night?”

Younghyun’s heart drops into his stomach. “What?” The fucking Busan comment. He really thought he’d gotten away with it.

At that exact moment, blessedly, Younghyun’s phone starts ringing from the other room. “One second,” he says, holding up a finger and ducking out into the hallway.

He grabs his phone off his nightstand and prays for a good distraction – anything to get him out of the awkward conversation Sungjin wants to have where he politely and firmly lets Younghyun down.

Surprisingly, it’s Dowoon. “Hey,” says Younghyun, “What’s up? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon.”

“Hi, I’m with Jae-ssi, he’s having a panic attack, I think?” A pause, presumably so Jae could say something, “Ok, not a panic attack, but he’s very distressed. He said I could call you.” Dowoon sounds shaken.

“Hey, calm down,” says Younghyun, “this has happened before, he tends to spiral. Where are you?” He puts the phone in between his ear and his shoulder and scans the room for his wallet.

“We’re at the coffee shop near he and Wonpil-hyungs’ house,” says Dowoon, “we were talking about yesterday, and I don’t think he realised he had feelings for Wonpil?”

“No,” says Younghyun, locating his wallet and stuffing it into his pocket, “He probably didn’t.”

“I was kind of blunt with him about it, and now he’s sitting with his head on the table and I’m worried. He did say I could call you.”

“You did the right thing,” says Younghyun placatingly. He starts looking for his socks. Sungjin has floated in from the kitchen, and is now leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Jae’s a bit emotionally constipated, he’s new to this whole liking a guy thing.”

“He said he was straight,” says Dowoon, “I didn’t realise.”

“It’s not your fault,” Younghyun says. “Would you mind staying with him? Just until I get there?”

“Ok,” he says, sounding relieved. “Ok, see you soon, hyung.”

Dowoon hangs up. Younghyun tries not to preen at being called hyung. Sungjin is still in the doorway. “Mother hen is a good look on you,” he says. His tone is warm, amused. Younghyun runs a hand through his hair.

“Shut up. Can I borrow your car?”

“Sure,” says Sungjin, tossing him the keys. “Tell Jae he’s an idiot for me.”

“I will not be telling him that,” says Younghyun, standing in front of Sungjin and waiting for him to move from the doorway. He doesn’t, so Younghyun has to shuffle past, his heart thudding at the closeness.

He’s at the door slipping his shoes on when Sungjin speaks again, “Younghyun?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re still having that discussion,” he says, “when you get back. Ok?”

Jae is a disaster. Younghyun knew that going into the coffee shop, of course, but he feels like he didn’t realise quite how bad it was. But Younghyun feels a lot of sympathy, because Jae is his best friend and God, if Younghyun hasn’t been where he is before. Is currently where he is.

He almost considers telling him. Just for a moment. As a way of commiserating, showing that they’re on the same page. “Hey, you like someone and don’t know if it’s reciprocated, that sucks. Same here.” He doesn’t, though. Because admitting his feelings for Sungjin to someone else could lead to the question of if Sungjin was even into guys, and that was too close to outing him. And also, because he barely gets the opportunity, Jae darting off the moment Younghyun lets on about Wonpil’s insecurity.

Younghyun really drags his feet going home. He stays at the café long enough to finish his coffee and his cake, he texts Dowoon to tell him that Jae’s ok and he’s gone to talk to Wonpil. He briefly considers heading into work even though the shop’s closed on Sunday, just as an excuse not to go back to the apartment. But then he gets an “everything ok?” text from Sungjin and feels so guilty he forces himself to go back home.

Jae’s predicament had been a nice distraction from his own, but as he drives back it all comes crashing down again. He tries to predict what Sungjin will say to him. Scold him for making such a flirty comment? Unlikely, but he supposes he could. Tell him he feels the same? Given the mysterious guy he’s already coming out to his parents for, it doesn’t seem possible. Ask him to explain himself and then let him down gently? Very likely.

By the time he gets to the house, he feels like he’s standing at the gallows. Sungjin is going to tell him he doesn’t feel the same, and the worst thing is how nice he’s going to be about it. Because Sungjin is always considerate of his feelings, and he’s a really good hyung, and although he doesn’t really like skinship he shows his affection through other gestures and when he does do skinship it makes it all the more special, and Younghyun has lost where he’s going with this but he really likes Sungjin so much.

He wonders what’s happening between Jae and Wonpil right now. If Jae was able to stop at just expressing his friendship or if he’d ended up blurting out a confession. He knows he’ll find out soon enough, and he’s already dreading having to put on a happy face for his best friend’s new relationship when he’s about to get rejected. Or worse, dealing with Jae’s heartbreak when he’s managing his own. Would that be worse? He doesn’t even know.

The point is, it’s been a high emotion day and its barely past noon, and Sungjin comes and finds him in the hallway as he’s sitting on the entrance step, taking off his shoes. He’s really not responsible for his actions.

He bursts into tears. Sungjin is on him in an instant, joining him on the step and pulling him into a hug, which just makes Younghyun cry harder. Because this is the first hug he’s ever gotten from the guy he’s been in love with for literal years, and it’s probably going to be the last. He covers his face with his hands, not wanting Sungjin to see him ugly cry.

“Younghyun, did something happen?” Younghyun shakes his head. “Then what— why– I don’t understand.”

Younghyun can’t bear to explain himself, knows he’s being ridiculous. He’s already embarrassed now; he can only imagine how much worse it’ll be once he stops crying and has to face this properly. He cries harder.

“Younghyun-ah, you’re scaring me,” says Sungjin. “I don’t– I’m not sure how to– should I call Jae?”

Younghyun laughs in spite of himself at the role reversal, but it comes out as a choked sob. “No,” he manages to say. “Just give me a minute.”

Sungjin does, eventually retracting his arms and just sitting with him on the step, his leg pressed against Younghyun’s, his hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. Slowly, Younghyun’s tears start to fade into nothing more than hitched breathing, and the mortification hits him full force.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. His head is still in his hands.

“Don’t apologise,” says Sungjin. “Never apologise for crying, ok?”

He’s struck with a sense of deja-vu. Sungjin had said something similar when he’d sat sobbing in their living room after coming out. But he hadn’t hugged him that time, just sat a respectful distance away and put a hand on his knee.

“Do you want to tell me what that was about?” asks Sungjin, and it’s not accusatory, or demanding. Just a question. Does he want to tell him?

Younghyun lifts his head from his hands and takes a shaky breath, “No, but I think I should.”

“Ok,” says Sungjin. “Here, or in the living room? Might be more comfortable.”

Younghyun thinks he might have fallen in love with Sungjin on the sofa in the living room. “Here.”

“Ok,” says Sungjin again. And then he waits, because he’s the most patient and respectful person that Younghyun knows. This is going to really, really hurt.

“You wanted to talk to me about what I said yesterday.” He can’t look directly at Sungjin, but he thinks he feels him stiffen.

“Not now,” says Sungjin, and he sounds nervous, “it’s not the time.”

“It kind of is, though,” says Younghyun, talking to his knees, “that’s what made me– that’s why.”

“Why would that make you cry?”

Younghyun chances a glance at Sungjin to find a pair of eyes watching him steadily. He flinches at the eye contact, looking away again. “It’s childish,” he says, “I’m just not ready for you to reject me outright, hyung.”

“What?” says Sungjin, and he sounds so startled Younghyun actually sits up and looks at him. “Reject you?”

Younghyun realises, suddenly, that Sungjin may not have been talking about the flirtatious Busan comment at all. That he could have said something different that Sungjin was stressed about, that he could have read this whole thing wrong and have just alerted Sungjin to his feelings towards him for no reason. His stomach churns. “Fuck,” he says. “Sorry, I thought you were– the thing I said about dating someone from Busan–”

“I’m sorry,” says Sungjin, his voice a little louder, cutting across him, “you thought I was going to _reject_ you?”

“Yes?”

“ _Why?”_

“Because of the guy! The guy who knows you’re gay who you’ve liked for a really long time but hasn’t said anything yet.”

Sungjin is staring at him, “Younghyun,” he says, “that’s you. I was talking about _you_. Who the hell would I be spending enough time with to come out to that you’ve never met? Dowoon is literally the first new person to join our friendship group in years.”

“Oh,” says Younghyun, his cheeks heating. Ok. On reflection, that makes a lot of sense. “Oh my God, you like me.”

“Yeah. Have done for a while, like I said.”

“Oh my _God_ ,” says Younghyun again. A bright, happy bubble seems to rise in his chest and laughs. “Sungjin, I’ve been in love with you for years. You were literally my bi awakening.”

The look on Sungjin’s face is honestly photo worthy. Surprised and embarrassed and flattered all at once.

“I’m going to kiss you now,” says Younghyun, because Sungjin doesn’t look like he’s going to take the initiative and if he remembers right, he’s supposed to be the confident one in Sungjin’s eyes.

It’s a little awkward, twisting so that their mouths can meet on the cramped step, but it’s absolutely worth it. There are tear stains on Younghyun’s cheeks, and the whole thing tastes a little salty, and when they pull apart, he’s pretty sure there are tears in Sungjin’s eyes too which is unimaginable. But there they are, threatening to spill over.

“Date me?” asks Younghyun, running his thumbs under Sungjin’s leaking eyes.

“Yes,” says Sungjin, “yes please.”

The following Saturday is movie night, and Jae and Wonpil offer to host. And yes, they offer as Jae-and-Wonpil, happy couple.

(Jae had made it ten minutes into their shift on Monday with a goofy grin and a bouncing leg before demanding loudly, “Brain Kang, I swear to god, ask me how yesterday went.” 

“How did yesterday go?”

“Excellent. Wonpil is really pretty when he cums.”

“I hate you and I regret joining your shitty band in high school,” he says, and then he hugs his best friend so hard he can’t breathe.)

Sungjin and Younghyun arrive together, as always, but they don’t arrive _together_. They discuss it, briefly, in the car. Sungjin is still closeted. This thing between them is amazing, but it’s still new, and they want to keep it to themselves for a while longer. They’ll know when the time is right to tell their friends.

Younghyun has grown used to the relaxed smile that now near-permanently graces Jae’s face, the way his shoulders literally sit lower now he’s happy and open and knows himself better. He’s seen it all this week at work. But the true surprise is Wonpil. He’s hanging off Jae’s shoulder when Jae opens the door for them, beaming, and the hesitance and uncertainty with which Wonpil had always approached Jae is nowhere to be seen.

“You two are going to be unbearable as a couple, aren’t you?” asks Sungjin with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s the plan, my dude,” says Jae, as Wonpil smacks a noisy kiss on his cheek, “come in, Dowoonie’s already here, we’ve ordered pizza.”

Jae and Wonpil disappear down the hall, and Sungjin and Younghyun take a moment. “I’ve changed my mind,” says Sungjin, “I want to tell them.”

“Now?” asks Younghyun. He’s not got a problem with it, he’s just surprised.

“This evening,” clarifies Sungjin, “it almost feels wrong to hide it when they’re so open.”

Younghyun gets what he means. “Ok,” he says. “I’ll follow your lead. Whenever you’re ready.” With a quick glance down the hall, he crowds a little closer to Sungjin to peck him on the lips. Sungjin grabs his arm to keep him there, drawing it out just a little.

Dowoon’s head pokes out of the living room just as Younghyun is pulling away, but he doesn’t even blink. “Horror or romance for the movie?” he asks.

“Horror,” says Younghyun.

“Romance,” says Sungjin, surprising him.

“Great, I’m the tie breaker,” says Dowoon, disappearing back into the living room. “We’re watching _Hide and Seek_!”

Younghyun hears Wonpil groan. “Shall we?” he says to Sungjin. Sungjin looks pensive.

“There’s no way Dowoon didn’t just see us kiss,” he murmurs.

“Maybe he’s just got manners,” says Younghyun quietly, “Or maybe he didn’t notice. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

Halfway through the movie, the pizza arrives. “Oh, thank God,” says Jae, shooting upright when Sungjin returns with the boxes and slamming pause on the remote. He and Wonpil have been clinging to each other the whole time, the latter practically climbing into his lap the moment it got scary. “I was dying.”

“You chose it,” points out Younghyun.

“Only because I didn’t want to Dowoonie to think I’m a sap.”

“Ship’s sailed on that one,” says Dowoon from where he’s lounging on the floor.

Sungjin sets the boxes down on the coffee table and Younghyun scooches up so that he can sit back down next him. Jae and Wonpil’s couch is big enough that they could absolutely sit without touching, but Sungjin sits close anyway.

Jae, Wonpil and Dowoon all dive for the pizza, but Younghyun stays where he is. He’s comfy, curled up against the arm of the couch, even if it means the pizza boxes are just out of reach.

“Hyung,” he says, “can you grab me a slice?”

“No onions, right?”

“Right,” says Younghyun. Sungjin leans over to grab him a piece, hands it to him and gets one for himself, then settles back down. Younghyun shifts a little so he’s leaning against Sungjin rather than the arm of the couch. He doesn’t think it’s all that noticeable, but he spots Jae’s eyes on him.

“What?” he says.

“When did you two get so domestic?” asks Jae.

Before Younghyun can come up with a snarky response, Dowoon speaks. “Why wouldn’t they be domestic? They’re married, aren’t they?”

Sungjin almost chokes on his bite of pizza. Four pairs of incredulous eyes swivel in Dowoon’s direction. “Wait, you _are_ married, aren’t you?” asks Dowoon. “Wonpil told me you were married.”

The eyes swivel to Wonpil, who has the grace to look ashamed. “That was a _joke_ , Dowoonie.”

“Oh,” says Dowoon. “Well, I don’t know why you’re all looking at me like that. Dating, married, what’s the difference?”

“They’re not dating,” says Jae.

Younghyun doesn’t need to follow Sungjin’s lead to know they’re not going to get an opportunity quite like this again.

“Um, actually,” he says, and the whole room seems to hold its breath. “We kind of are? As of last weekend.”

“I’m gay,” says Sungjin, “surprise.”

“They kissed in the hall,” adds Dowoon, for good measure, “I literally saw them.”

Silence so complete you could hear a pin drop. And then Wonpil starts to laugh. “Jae, your _face_!”

Jae, whose mouth had been hanging open, turns on his boyfriend immediately. “Why aren’t you more surprised?”

“Because it was _obvious_ ,” says Wonpil. “Think about it, hyung. They’ve lived together longer than we have. Neither of them has dated anyone in years. If you tell one of them something, the other knows within 24 hours. They are the most married people I know.”

Something in Younghyun’s chest warms at that. “We kind of are, aren’t we?”

Sungjin presses a kiss to his temple, “think so.” 

“What the fuck, that was so cute!” exclaims Jae in a whiny voice, “I hate this. How didn’t I see that this was a thing?”

“Well, you don’t exactly have the best track record with this stuff,” says Wonpil, “I don’t know how you expected to know what was going on with Sungjin and Younghyun when you didn’t even know what was going on with you.” He says it seriously, but his lip twitches, and a moment later they’re all in hysterics.

It’s nice, Younghyun thinks, as the pizza goes cold and the laughter continues. He can’t remember having been this content in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I'm on Twitter as [@eajpils](https://twitter.com/eajpils) if you want to come and freak out about the upcoming Day6 comeback with me.


End file.
